Caro Ru Lushe, Dragonborn?
by dawicf
Summary: A routine mission, with an unexpected twist, leads Riot Force Six's youngest into chaos. M for violence/language down the line.
1. Another Day on the Job

The Dragonborn Comes…?

* * *

**Okay, _this_ is my most ridiculous project yet. Why? Hell if I know! It just sounded like fun. The only thing I can hope for is that Riot Force Six doesn't find out and send me off to Oblivion. *Nervous laugh* For real, though. This is going to be****…interesting. All I can say for now is…enjoy. ****Set in the four-year gap between _StrikerS_ and _ViVid!_ Which means the poor girl is 14 at the oldest. I'm evil.** **I'm writing this first chapter assuming that people are familiar to some degree with _StrikerS_. For those who aren't, I'll probably do a short bio on Caro between the next chapter.**

* * *

The day started as any other might for Riot Force Six. Wake up, endure a morning of training, have breakfast, and maybe head off-world for a patrol. That particular scenario played out for the 'new' recruits (They were hardly new by this point, but they were technically still the youngest officers in the branch).

Of course, no sensible CO would leave the four of them to traverse an entirely separate world unsupervised, no matter how capable they were. What was different about this patrol was that the group was watched by Signum.

"Captain Takamachi and Vita are on a separate mission. So you know what that means." They did, indeed. That meant that today would be a fairly simple mission. Signum was stern, but fair. Not like the others. Teana and Subaru still didn't want to think about an angry Nanoha, not after the training incident.

"Where is their mission?" Erio asked.

"A search-and-rescue on a nearby world. They assured me it would be simple damage control. As for our group, we received a report of a carrier craft taken hostage. Erio, Caro, you two will attempt to rescue the crew without alerting the captors. Teana, Subaru and I will hang back. If the rescue group is discovered, our job is to guard them until evacuation is complete." Of course, 'simple' did not _always_ equate to 'safe.'

"Understood!" they replied uniformly. The briefing over, the team left to prepare.

After they had split up, Caro spoke up to her partner, Erio. "Hey, Erio? I don't know why, but I can't shake this bad feeling I have." She refrained from mentioning that Friedrich felt it, too.

"I wouldn't worry too much," he answered calmly. "It's just nerves; you're fine. But if you can't help it, then just be careful. Now come on, let's do our best together, right Caro?"

Putting aside her doubts, Caro smiled. "Right!" _There's no point in dragging myself down._

* * *

Caro tried her best to focus on the mission, but that feeling refused to go away. She tried to put it out of her mind, like Erio said. "Hey, Caro, you okay,?" Subaru asked.

Distracted, it took Caro a few seconds to answer. "Huh? Oh, yes, I'm fine!" But right as she said that, her mind felt a slight pull. It was so small, she almost disregarded it.

At the same time, a TSAB officer ran up to them. "Captain Signum! The ship…it's gone!"

"WHAT?!" The whole crew shouted. The team ran to the nearest vantage window, only to discover that, indeed, their target was nowhere to be found.

"Damn it!" Signum shouted. "Did they see us?"

"Can't be," the officer replied. "We had the camouflage active, and the engines were cut. But…"

"'But?' Was there something else?"

"Well, just before they vanished, we picked up a massive temporal distortion. I have to wonder if they're related, somehow."

"Can we follow the energy?"

As Signum finished her question, Caro felt a foreign presence call out to her. _How?! It's so similar to my own ability, but there's something__…cruel about it._ Then, she heard a voice speak to her, like they were right next to her ear, and yet on the other side of the world. _"Hm? I sense a great power from you. Yes, yes! You will aid me in my destruction of this world! Now, come to me, master of Dovah!"_

And before Caro could speak or react, she felt herself being pulled through space and time. As she fell through the gap, she caught a glimpse of a dragon. It was large, absolutely gargantuan, probably larger even than Voltaire, which was no small feat. Its scales were an ugly dark gray. as though they were originally black, but became corrupted; and its eyes…Caro didn't even want to look. All she could think was one word: _evil_. The dragon seemed to glance down at her…or was it up? It seemed that no matter which way she turned, it appeared before her eyes.

The dragon laughed, a dark, deep growling cackle. _"So, your mind remains in one piece? Yes, as I thought, you are a fascinating one. I look forward to destroying this world, and you _will_ assist me!"_ Finally, the sound stopped drowning her ears, and Caro found herself falling through space…

* * *

**Here's another one from your least-favorite indecisive author! I initially wanted to make her Dragonborn, but then I thought, 'What if it were a Dragon Summoner instead?' I'm aware of what that means, which just means I'll have to be creative. Enjoy! - dawicf**


	2. Caro Ru Lushe: Personnel File

Chapter 2

* * *

**Figured I'd want to build a character bio before the meat. This is more for the _Elder Scrolls_ players than _Nanoha_ fans. Feel free to skip; this is completely unnecessary, after all.**

* * *

PVT. Caro Ru Lushe (Designation: Lightning 4)

**Age:** 11

**Hair color:** Pink; **Eye color:** Lavender

**Magic:** Summoning (Dragon); Support/Augmentation; Offense

**Device:** Kerykeion [Herald's Staff] (Boost Device)

**Summons:** Friedrich, Voltaire, Dragon Gods (Potentially)

**Spells:**

Blast Flare - Attack: Shooting; Friedrich

Blast Ray - Attack: Bombardment; Friedrich

Boost Up - Support: Increase

_Boost Up: Barret_ _Power_ \- Increase: Attack; Long-range

_Boost Up: Acceleration_ \- Augmentation: Speed

_Boost Up: Strike Power_ \- Augmentation: Offense; Close-range

Boosted Healing - Support: Increase

Dragon Mount Summon - Summoning: Voltaire

Dragon Soul Summon - Summoning: Friedrich

Enchant - Support: Increase

_Enchant "Field Invade"_ \- Support: Increase

_Enchant "Defense Gain"_ \- Support: Increase

Geo Erga - Attack: Bombarment; Voltaire

Physical Heal - Support: Increase

Protection - Defense: Barrier

Sealing - Support

Shooting Ray - Attack: Shooting; Caro Ru Lushe

Transport Summoning - Summoning

Wheel Protection - Defense: Barrier

Wing Shooter - Attack: Shooting (Aimed); Caro Ru Lushe

Wrought Iron Summon - Summoning

_Alchemic Chain_ \- Summoning

**Background:**

Native of the 6th Adminstered World, Alzus, Caro was born within a nomad-like "minority tribe" known as Ru-Lushe. Since she was very little, she was taught the tribe's traditional summoning arts: the "Dragon Summon". Caro exhibited a rare talent to the craft, to the point that she could already summon two powerful dragons by the age of six. This frightened the elders of her tribe however, who believed that her power would attract misfortune, and lead them to banish the girl. Because a summoner is not only required to conjure a dragon but also to control it, and Caro lacked this skill, even she herself was afraid of her own power, fearing that her summons would go on a rampage. According to Fate, it would be years before she was finally able to free herself of this fear.

As powerful as she was, her lack of control meant that no major organization within the TSAB would recruit her. A chance encounter with Fate Testarossa-Harlaown changed that. Hearing of her past, Fate adopted Caro, and helped her find a position in the Wildlife Conservation Corps as an Assistant Officer. She would continue her work here until she was invited to join the newly-instated Riot Force 6, with another child adopted by Fate, Erio Mondial.

* * *

**Yeah, yeah, I cheated. I copied the _MSLN _wiki for the first paragraph. I want this to be accurate, which means I'll cut corners if I have to. All the same, this is the basic info. It should do for now.**

**Also, I see now that some of my information regarding this series is outdated, so I'm making a few changes. To clarify, Riot Force 6 disbanded only one year after it was formed. If Caro was 10 when she joined, then****…you can see where I made my mistake. ****Look before you leap, right?**


	3. Awaken the Dragon

Chapter 3

**Now the _real_ story begins! So, I made a few changes in her 'Personnel File' (I wanted to use military terminology here), and I hope that I will have the foresight to do my research before posting.**

* * *

The first thing Caro Ru Lushe became aware of was a slight ache in her head. Thankfully, the booming voice from earlier seemed to have gone away. The next thing she noticed was how cold _everything_ was. Thankfully, she could still move. _Guess being flung into space doesn't hurt as much as I thought._

As her body managed to catch up with her mind, she began to take note of her surroundings. She now understood that the pain in her head was attributed to the fact that she was lying on what appeared to be a bed made out of stone. In front of her was a window, through which she felt an immense chill. _A blizzard, maybe?_ Her training taught her that panic was the fastest way to destabilize your emotions, lose control of your magic, and quite possibly send yourself to an early grave. Then a thought hit her. "Fried!" she cried out loud. A small yawn from beneath her revealed that he was simply curled up, sleeping.

"Ah, you are awake, miss?" she heard a voice ask. Sitting up, she saw an old man wearing long, grey robes that swept the floor. His voice was grizzled, and somewhat hoarse, as though he had not used it properly for a very long time. "I must admit, we were starting to worry."

Her mind didn't immediately comprehend what the man was saying; after a few seconds a proper translation streamed through. She realized that her Device, Kerykeion, was translating his unknown language for her, which she realized seemed to be a dialect of English, much like Bardiche, but much stronger. _Now_ she knew how to respond. "Where am I?" That was one of the first lessons she learned in Riot Force 6: when in an unknown location, gather information. "And how did I end up here?"

"If you will allow me to answer your second question first. We found you unconscious outside in the courtyard, nearly half-buried in snow. We brought you inside, and have attempted to nurse you back to consciousness. However, your…friend fiercely defended you. Now to answer your first question. This is the ancient temple of High Hrothgar, in Skyrim."

Caro understood not one word of what he was saying. He seemed to pick up on her confusion. "By your expression, 'Skyrim' does not sound familiar." Caro only shook her head as confirmation. "Then either you have amnesia, or are from an entirely different province."

"Um, neither," Caro spoke softly. "My name is Caro Ru Lushe, from Mid-Childa." Now it was the man's turn to look confused.

"I see that neither of us will have an easy time explaining ourselves," the man continued. "Do you happen to remember how you arrived here?"

"Uh, yes! Though I should start from the beginning. My name is Caro Ru Lushe, and this is my partner, Fried." At hearing his name, Fried flew up to land on her shoulder. "I was with my team when I heard a voice, though I couldn't tell where it came from. Then I felt myself being pulled away, and I saw what looked like a dragon. But I could feel it. He was evil; something in him felt wrong, but I didn't know what.. That was the last thing I remember before waking up here."

Now a look of shock, and, maybe, terror. He sat across from her, a contemplative look on his face. "If you speak the truth, the dragon you saw is not unknown to us. He is called Alduin, a most ancient evil. His return is a omen of dreadful things yet to come. And if you say you are unfamiliar with this temple, then where did you come from? This Mid-Childa you mentioned, then?"

"Mid-Childa is my home, but it's not where I was born. I'm a mage who can summon dragons, like Fried." The small dragon gave an agreeing cry. "But I was too strong, so my tribe exiled me."

"You can summon dragons?" the man asked, shocked. "Truly, this is an unusual day. Ah, forgive me. I have not yet introduced myself. I am Arngeir, chief scholar of the Greybeards in the Way of the Voice." He bowed low, farther than his age would indicate. "As I explained, this is the temple of High Hrothgar, an ancient citadel where men and women would come in times long forgone to study the Voice, the tongue of dragons."

As much as that made sense to Caro, there were still many questions. "And where is. . .uh, 'Skyrim' you said?"

"Skyrim is merely one of the multiple provinces in the continent of Tamriel. High Hrothgar sits on top of the Throat of the World, the tallest mountain range in the province. Allow me to return with a map." A minute later, he returned, rolled-up map in hand. Unfurling it, he explained, "As you see, Skyrim is divided into nine different holds. Whiterun, The Rift, and Winterhold are named after their capital cities, but the other holds do not share this tradition. I would prefer not to allow a young child like yourself to freely roam Skyrim, but I feel that you would disagree, no?" Caro nodded determinedly. "Then let me impart upon you a warning. There are many dangers in Skyrim. The frozen wilderness is unforgiving to those who are unprepared. You must be prepared to defend yourself. I can feel a gentleness in your soul, but here, that must be cast aside."

Caro didn't much like the sound of that. As a member of the Frontier Nature Conservation Corps, the idea of harming animals was abhorrent to her. "There is one more warning I feel I must give you. If Alduin is truly the dragon you saw before being spirited here, it means that the other dragons throughout Slyrim will soon rise. More than anything else, they must be slain." Now Caro was truly upset, an unusual state of mind for the young mage. "I see the fury in your eyes. Allow me to explain first. In Tamriel, dragons are an ancient power, believed to be aspects of the divine Akatosh given physical form. However, they are primal; their first, and often only instinct in life is the domination and destruction of anything they deem lesser than themselves. Certainly, there are dragons who have risen above those urges, but a single dragon has enough power to raze an entire hold. I understand the bond you have with your own dragon, but to the dragons of Tamriel, a bond of any sort is anathema to their very being."

His explanation answered her questions, somewhat, but the idea of harming another living being still repulsed her. "I suppose it would be rude of me to hold you here any further. Perhaps, in your travels, you may find a way to return to your home. And know that you are welcome here anytime you wish. Farewell, young Caro. Oh, yes. I believe you will need this." Arngeir handed Caro a large, thick cloak. "Pardon my saying so, but your. . .attire seems ill-suited for Skyrim's weather."

"Thank you, Arngeir," Caro said gratefully. "I'll return. Goodbye." Following Arngeir's guiding words, Caro exited the temple, taking her first conscious steps into Skyrim.

* * *

Caro soon found that though she appreciated the cloak, it was quite uncomfortable. "Kerykeion, can you generate an additional jacket?"

"Yes, master," it responded. Caro was glad that at least in this unfamiliar, apparently hostile world, her Device was still operational.

"Thank you." Even though Kerykeion was not on the same level as Intelligent or Unison Devices, she thought she could feel a small glint of pride from her Device.

_Now, where to go from here? _She figured she ought to travel to the nearest capital, which according to the map, appeared to be Whiterun. The fastest way to get there would be to ride on Friedrich, but that didn't sit well with her for two reasons:

1: Using her partner as transportation seemed insulting to her.

2: If what Arngeir told her was true, the people of Skyrim were _very_ superstitious, and likely wouldn't react well to a dragon.

"Suck it up, Caro Ru Lushe," she said to herself, resigning herself to the fact there was only one way she was getting down this enormous mountain. "Fried, you should hide in my jacket." She felt his wings brush against her back as he took cover. "Okay. Ready, Fried?" He cried affirmatively. "Then let's go!"

Using Kerykeion, Caro channeled magic through her body. "Boost Up: Acceleration!" The enhanced speed helped her climb down the mountain in record time. Taking in her surroundings, she saw that all of the houses were built out of wood or stone. Some guards (she assumed they were guards, from their uniforms) walked along the streets. One of them seemed to lock onto her, as she could feel their eyes, even if she couldn't see them due to the helmet. Not wanting to attract undue attention to herself, she turned and began walking away. She also noticed that this was taking her out of the village. Eager to explore, Caro removed the conjured jacket. _No, wait. If I want answers, I should go back to the village, talk to the people there._ With something resembling a plan in mind, Caro turned back into the village.

"Uh, excuse me, how do I get to Whiterun from here?" she asked a passing guard.

"Whiterun? You're a long way from home, then. That's on the other side," he answered somewhat dismissively. "You look a little too young to travel all that way. Bandits and wolves and such. Then again, I can't blame you for wanting to leave. Most everyone's cleared out, and the only ones staying are either too old or too foolish to care."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"It's that damn Shroud Hearth Barrow, just past the inn. People are saying there's a ghost there. Now they say the town's cursed. Not to mention people say they've seen the ghost _itself_ wandering outside the ruins. Honestly, I'm leaving tomorrow."

Caro felt like she had to do something. It seemed to be a general philosophy of Riot Force 6: do whatever is within your power to help. Putting on a determined smile, she asked, "Could I help?

"What could a kid do against a ghost?" he laughed. "Just run on home, I'm sure your momma misses you."

That string of words suddenly reminded Caro of her situation. She was stranded in a foreign world, with no way to contact anyone, and struggling to face the fact that she may have to fight to survive. Fighting back tears, she said, "Still, I want to help if I can."

She could feel his eyes sizing her up. Obviously, his impression was not very high, because he merely replied, "The barkeeper at the inn might know something, but there's no way he'll just let a kid in there."

"Thank you," she said, bowing. Inwardly, she told him off for not doing anything; he was supposed to protect the people.

Making up her mind, Caro made her way to the ruins, the doors looming over her. "Fried?" She called out. She must been more afraid than she thought; the dragon cried softly in reassurance, easing her fear. "Thanks, Fried. Let's go."

* * *

The ruins were, in her opinion, typical fare for what one expects when they hear the word 'ruins;' or 'barrow,' in this case. Although it was a fair bit creepier than she imagined. Nearly everywhere she looked was covered in a thick film of dust, abandoned cobwebs sat in every corner, and deep holes were carved out from the walls, some housing ancient skeletons. _Are they. . .beds? _The possibility that people could actually _sleep_ in such a forbidding place nearly caused her to turn away right there. _No! I have to do _something_._ Once again setting her nerves, she continued on. But she didn't get more than a few steps before she heard a whisper. "Turn. . .back. . ."

Panicked, she frantically looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. Further in, she found a gate, closed shut. The voice came back, clearer and more audible now, repeating itself, like a mantra. But she now understood that she was likely hearing the 'ghost' that had spooked the townsfolk. Knowing that, she couldn't run away now. _But how do I get past this gate?_ Turning around, she walked into a small room. Four levers, two on each side of the entrance. Pulling one, she heard a gate fall. Looking out, she found that it was the gate to the room she was in! _So it's a puzzle,_ she understood. She pulled a different lever; this gate stayed shut, but the one on the other side opened.

It took a few more pulls to get it right, but finally, both gates were open, and she could continue. "Oh, right! Fried, you can come out. No one will see you here." With a happy cry, the small dragon wriggled out of his hiding place, stretched his wings, and settled on his partner's shoulder.

The next room she found made her stop. _What ghost needs a table and notebook?_ Opening the book, she realized it was a journal; more specifically, the journal of one Wyndelius Gatharian. Reading through it, her skepticism about a 'haunted barrow' was replaced by confusion, quickly followed by curiosity. Before she could read any further, however, Fried let out a distressed shriek. On instinct, Caro dropped into a roll as she felt a knife pass through the space where her neck used to be. Looking up, she saw a man, knife in hand, his facial features twisted in rage, his eyes gleaming with desire and desperation. "Never! No one will take my treasure." He rushed toward her, making to stab her, when he suddenly collapsed, his chest convulsing, heaving shallow, ragged breaths.

Kneeling down, Caro tried to use any magic she could to help. "Boosted Heal!" But his life force continued to slip away. Half a minute later, she finally felt his heart go silent, his eyes still possessing that mania. Though she held her tears, silent sobs tore at her throat. "I'm sorry," she choked out. Hoping that maybe his journal would provide answers, she continued reading. _He spent the last year inside these ruins. And used a potion to appear as a ghost. But without the 'claw' mentioned here, he was stuck__._ "I should talk to the townsfolk. Right, Fried? Let's go." Regret still chewing at her, she figured that the least she could do was assure the villagers that all was now well. Once she was sure that Fried was safely hidden again, she walked out of the ruins, into the open world. Taking a deep breath, Caro savored the fresh air, a far cry from the dusty air in the ruins. "The guard said the inn was in front of the barrow." Heading inside, the few people that were there all turned to her. She could feel their eyes judging her. Ignoring the stares, she walked to the bar in the center of the floor.

"Go home, kid," the barkeeper said, even more condescendingly than the guard from earlier. "Oh, let me guess. Did your da send you 'cause he was too drunk to come himself?" Caro was quickly figuring that children in _this_ world were treated like actual children. Unlike in her home system, where anyone with the magic potential could join the military (she and Erio joined when they 10, after all), here, it seemed that a child was indeed just a child.

Biting back a retort at the insinuation that her guardian was a drunken mess (nothing could be further from the truth), Caro pulled out Wyndelius' journal and showed it to him. "Actually," she replied, "I found this inside the barrow outside of town."

He flipped through a few pages, his eyes slowly widening in shock over what he was reading. "And you found this _in _there? You actually went inside?"

"I didn't know if it really _was_ haunted (she very much doubted so; ghosts did not exist in the Mid-Childa dimensional system), but the only way to know is to find out."

"So, this 'Wyndelius' character wanted this claw to get past some door." The man sighed, with a hint of exasperation. "If he had just asked, I might have let him have the damn thing."

"You _have_ the claw?" she asked.

Groping around beneath the countertop, he pulled out what did indeed look like a claw. It appeared to be an ornamental dragon claw, its talons colored a beautiful sapphire. "Go ahead, if you really want it. I guess you can consider it thanks for finding out the truth." Admittedly, Caro _was_ curious about what was really in those ruins. "But I wouldn't go in these ruins again. You might've been able to stop a madman with a knife, but no sane, or even _in_sane adventurer goes anywhere _near_ the Draugr."

"'Draugr?'"

"How do you…right, you're just a child. The Draugr were warriors who guarded ancient tombs in ancient times. And now, through unknown magic, they still walk this plane, cursed, unable to die. Or at least, that's the rumor. But the Draugr themselves are very real. Take my advice and just stay away."

_Now_ Caro could admit she was kind of scared. The dead (or _un_dead, in this case) was something she could do without. "I think I'll do just that. Thank you for the warning. May I keep the claw, though?"

"Why not? At the least, it means that those Draugr stay on the _other_ side of that door." Caro didn't disagree. "Well, thanks for finding out the truth. None of the guards seemed to want to bother. So here, consider this a reward." He handed her a small bag, jangling with coins.

"Oh, no, I couldn't."

"Just take it, kid. That cloak means you're traveling, right? You can't eat without money."

Conceding to his point, Caro accepted the bag without further complaint. "Thank you. And make sure to tell everyone there was no ghost. And, uh, where is the closest town to here?"

"Well, that depends on what you mean by 'close.' On the other side of the mountains is Riverwood. . .wait, don't you have a map?"

Mentally palming her forehead, Caro sheepishly took out her map. The closest town looked to be Helgen. Shor's Stone was further away, and in the opposite direction, but it would take her closer to the capital, Riften. Seeing her eyes roam across the parchment, the barkeep spoke up. "If you know what's good for you, then _stay away from Riften_."

"What's so bad? It's the capital, isn't it?"

"Maven Black-Briar. That woman has so much money, power, and influence that she has the Jarl, the Thieves' Guild, _and_ the Dark Brotherhood in her pocket."

"Who are they?"

Giving her a long, expectant look, he finally said, "You're not even from Skyrim if you don't know those names."

"No, I'm not." She left it at that. While Arngeir may have been accepting, she highly doubted that the rest of Skyrim would feel the same way.

"Well, a Jarl is the leader of an individual hold. The Rift's Jarl, Laila Law-Giver, is a pushover. She tries to do what she can, but now she's nothing more than a figurehead for Maven's agenda.

"The Dark Brotherhood is…_was_ an assassin's guild, but they're nothing now. But who knows how much longer that will last. These civil war tensions will no doubt push people to call on them again.

"And the Thieves' Guild…the worst of them all. At least the Brotherhood has a code. The Guild is just a den of rats; vermin and scum, all of them, willing to do anything to get their hands on even a single septim. Just stay away from the whole lot of them."

If Caro were a normal girl, she would have indeed left well enough alone. _However_, she was Caro Ru Lushe, A+-rank mage, 2nd Ground Member of Riot Force 6. Leaving that much danger unchecked was simply not an option. Still, she didn't want to cause him any undue worry. "Thank you for your concern. Then I'll head to Helgen." She didn't like lying, but she figured that as a certified military officer, it was acceptable in certain circumstances (her current 'stranded' situation included). "Thank you again. Good-bye."

* * *

Her next destination in mind, Caro looked for someone to ask directions from. Near the inn/tavern, on the same bridge she crossed _into_ town, she saw two men engaged in conversation. "Excuse me," she interrupted politely, walking up. "How do I get to Helgen from here?"

"The way to Helgen'll be on the other side of town," the first man answered. A number of his features drew her attention, most notably his pointed ears _(So elves exist in this world)_. Doing her best not to stare, she listened to his explanation. "It is quite a walk, and you have to cross a small mountain, but it isn't too bad."

"If you go that way, be careful," the second man spoke up. "The Empire's using Helgen as their stronghold right now. I even heard they're rounding up Stormcloaks for execution. As paranoid as they are, don't give them reason to do anything to you."

"Thank you for the advice. I'll be careful." Bidding the men farewell, Caro walked through town, where upon reaching the other side, she came across a sign pointing the way to Helgen. "Boost Up: Acceleration," she chanted silently. Stealthily, she ran back around to the Shor's Stone-side of Ivarstead, where the two were still chatting on the bridge. Sticking to the trees until she was far enough away, Caro made sure to put plenty of distance between herself and the town. Relaxing, she canceled the magic, and took in her surroundings. The forestry reminded her of Supools, where she spent her time as an Conservation Officer Assistant, serving as another reminder of home, and how she may not be able to return. Unless the TSAB was somehow to identify and track the magic used to bring her here, of course. But if not…

* * *

_Administrated World #1, Midchilda; Southfort district, area A73; Riot Force 6 office__…_

"What happened out there?!" Signum shouted. "Where could Ru Lushe have gone?"

"Signum!" Vita yelled over her. "Get a hold of yourself, damn it! Shouting and pacing won't help anyone!"

Taking a deep breath, Signum exhaled; for her state of mind, it could have been an exasperated sigh. "You're right. Forgive me, Vita."

"Don't apologize to _me_…Do they know yet?"

"I haven't told anyone yet; I wanted to wait until everyone was together to give the report. But no doubt Nakajima has already informed Takamachi of this."

"Which means Hayate already knows, and Fate will soon. What happened to you guys out there, anyway?"

"It was supposed to be a routine hostage rescue mission. But before any of us could act, the target vanished. Immediately after, sensors picked up a temporal signature. As if on cue, Ru Lushe also disappeared at that moment."

"Okay, so there's no way the cruiser was responsible for it. So an outside source must have affected them both at the same time."

"You think they could be in the same place, then? Yes, that makes sense. But that raises a new question: why?"

"We still don't have an answer for that," Hayate spoke up, entering the room, Nanoha and Fate at her sides. "I'm sorry for eavesdropping on you, but now this is considered an official incident. Signum, do we have anyone who can trace magical signatures?"

"Here, no," the knight answered succinctly. "I will head over to the main office to appeal for assistance now."

"Not yet," Hayate shook her head. "Do we at least have the energy signature isolated?"

"Fortunately, yes," Nanoha answered affirmatively. "Subaru told me what happened, and Raising Heart managed to seal it in time."

"It was no trouble," Raising Heart said. No doubt the Device was blushing right now, if Devices _could_ blush.

"_Un_fortunately," Fate stepped in, "we still have one big problem. Signum, you said the readings were for _temporal_ magic?" Signum nodded solemnly. "We don't have any reports on temporal magic. Time travel or manipulation is not possible."

"Normally, I'd agree, Fate. But right now, we have to consider that a method _does_ exist in an unadministrated world somewhere. Signum, head to the main office for an investigation request. Fate, could you go with her? Caro is in your squad, after all."

"Right!" With that, the leaders of Lightning Squad departed. "Vita," Hayate continued, "go with them to headquarters. But I need you to go to the Infinity Library. Ask Yūno for his help. Maybe he can find something we don't know." Nodding, Vita took off, leaving Nanoha and Hayate alone. "Do you think we'll get her back, Nanoha?" With no-one else around, the two friends could finally be themselves.

"I hope so." As much as she wanted to be optimistic and supportive, Nanoha also knew that false assurance in a situation like this would not do anyone any good.

"Damn it," Hayate cursed. "We've never had to deal with time magic before. And no-one has the first clue about it. Not even Precia-" Nanoha flinched at that name. "-managed anything close to it. Not that she wanted to go back in time, but…no," she trailed off. "Nanoha, I just came up with an idea. But I don't like it, and Fate'd probably kill me if she found out."

"You want to ask _him_ for help," Nanoha said, putting the puzzle together. Looking like she wanted to say something, she simply sighed, and asked, "We're out of options, aren't we?"

"Yeah. We have to ask Scaglietti." Dr. Jail Scaglietti, artificial mage, designed by the TSAB High Council. Also the mastermind behind the 'Saint's Cradle' incident, and the original brain behind Project FATE. "I don't want to do this, not after everything he did, but he's all I've got right now. I _really_ don't want to do this, Nanoha," she repeated, giving her friend a light kiss on the cheek.

"I'll talk to Fate about it. Despite everything he's done, Fate doesn't actually hate him as much as you might think. If anything, his cyborgs were more trouble than he was."

"I know. I guess I'm just hoping for this all to be a dream." Hayate kissed her friend again. "I need help right now, Nanoha," she pleaded. Saying nothing, Nanoha guided her friend into her office, where they could chat in private.

* * *

**Okay, it's rough, but that should hold for now. To answer a few potential questions, now that the first real chapter is finished. Remember how Alduin is pulled to the Fourth Era through the Elder Scroll? I borrowed that. With Caro's ability to summon dragons, wouldn't she have the energy of a dragon, I would think? But that's just a personal theory, and is used for story purposes. And _maybe_ Caro'll be captured by the Empire on her way to Riften. I don't know yet. And no, those two did _not_ have sex at the end. I know that imagination is the fun part, and this _is_ rated M, but I'm not a big believer in the concept of 'Solace Sex.' Sorry to burst your bubble, guys. Now, that's not to say it won't happen _later_****…**

**For the future, I'm asking a friend of mine who is _very_ well-versed in _Skyrim_ for hints, tips, and advice, so I'll try to post one chapter a month. Yeah, I _say_ that, and what happens? Anyway, I've rambled enough. Bye for now! And thanks for reading!**


	4. Spinning Our Wheels

_Spinning Our Wheels_

* * *

**Okay, so (the official) chapter 2. Here's just a 'meanwhile' on the other side. The next chapter will focus back in Skyrim, where we deal with Caro's decision to travel to Riften. But for now, we get to address the governmental equivalent of Riften. And no, I don't mean a dictatorship. On an author's note, Skyrim will now be referred to as 'Unadministrated World #4201.**

* * *

_1 hour later, Administrated World #1, Midchilda, Capital City, Cranagan, TSAB headquarters, Infinity Library…_

"Damn it!" Vita swore silently. At least, as silently as she could get away with in a library. "How hard is it to find _something_?! Hayate told me to get Yūno, but I can't do nothing while I'm waiting…"

"Vita? You were looking for me?" _Speak of the devil__._ "Is something wrong?"

Sighing dejectedly, Vita nearly slammed her head against the desk she was sitting at. "What _isn't_ wrong? Signum's last mission went all to hell, one of our own is MIA, and we're still probably getting shut down before the year is done!" Looking up, she quickly added, "Sorry for venting that."

"No, it's fine. But what's that about a missing person?"

_Better tell him now, then._

_…_

"I see. And they sent _you_ for research?" Though he asked the question in all seriousness, a small smile formed on his lips.

"Shut up!" she denied, making every effort _not_ to look at the Chief Librarian. "But you're right. I'm not cut out for this part. Is there anything you might know about this?"

"Well, temporal magic isn't something we've found on any Administrated World so far. Manipulating time in any way, even just viewing it, flies in the face of logic; it can't be done. Although…" As he raised his head, a determined glint lit up his eyes. "I think I might remember something about it somewhere. Problem is, it'll take me a few days to find the info. I'll let you know when I find something."

"Thanks. I'll head back and let them know. You'll have better luck than me, at least." As Vita left the Library, she couldn't help but comment, "It's like everything that could go wrong right now has. Well, I better wait for Signum."

* * *

_3 hours later, Administrated World #1, Midchilda, Capital City, Cranagan, TSAB headquarters, entryway__…_

Fate and Signum left the TSAB office, satisfied about the report, but less-than-elated about the verdict on their investigation request. "It isn't much of a surprise, Testarossa," Signum told her friend/squadmate.

"I know," she replied. "Everytime we get involved in something, they love spinning their wheels, keeping us on edge."

Indeed, it was nothing new. Since its instatement, Riot Force 6 had been the epicenter for many concerns regarding the balance of power within the Bureau, with its 3 highest-ranked officers (who also happened to be its founders) AA-rank mages or higher; add to that 4 familiars from the Tome of the Night Sky (in the service of a _very_ powerful bombardment mage), a genetically-enhanced cyborg (enhanced with the technology of the 'Saint's Cradle Incident's' mastermind, no less), another subject of Project FATE, and a dragon summoner who still didn't have full control of her power, and in all fairness, those concerns weren't wholly unfounded.

It was for those same reasons that the governing board was considering dissolving the unorthodox branch of their military. And considering the aftermath of the 'Saint's Cradle Incident', that was just another nail in the coffin.

"Testarossa, I'm sorry. I failed to watch her as thoroughly as I should have."

"No. Signum, please don't blame yourself. None of us had any way of knowing that this could happen. It's true that I'm worried. And until she's safe again, I'm not going to stop worrying." If one looked very closely into Fate's eyes, it became very obvious that she was fighting back tears. "But we can't stop," she said, shaking her head solemnly. "Come on, let's head back."

"Right!" In that moment, Signum swore that she would make this right. As an artificial familiar bound to the Tome of the Night Sky, she would be bound to Hayate until her dying day. But it also wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that just like Nanoha and Vita, she and Fate had a deeper relationship than that of simply squadmates.

"Yo," Vita greeted the two. "Finish up another boring meeting?"

"Yes, but the results were discouraging," Signum answered curtly, hiding her frustration.

"Let me guess. 'We'll consider it?' Is that the only response they have? Even if Due killed the old council, you'd think they could do better."

"It's not like it could be helped," Fate added, wearing a resigned smile. "That incident was partially our fault. How did your research go?"

"Good news, I got Yūno to help. Bad news, at best, it'll still be a few days before he finds anything concrete." Though her expression didn't change, both of the Knights could see that the news didn't sit with her. "That came out worse then I meant."

"It's fine, Vita. I don't mean to be so negative, myself."

"We've done all we can for now," Signum said. "We should return to Hayate." Few words were shared between them; none that hadn't already been said before. And though she was too nice to say it outright, Fate was starting to get to tire of others apologizing to her.

* * *

_Lost Property Riot Force 6 office__…_

Signum and Vita had gone off to look for Erio, who was taking Caro's disappearance just as hard as Fate. Fate, meanwhile, had a feeling that she knew where Hayate was; she was proven right when she saw Nanoha sitting on a chair in their shared room. The bed was occupied by Hayate, her chest rising and falling with the steady air of slumber.

"She just fell asleep," Nanoha whispered to her. "I think she's taking this harder than you."

"I'm starting to worry for _her_, too."

During her more emotional moments, happy or distressed, Hayate had the now-familiar habit of using one of her friends as a makeshift pillow. Everyone understood at this point that the desire for contact stemmed from her childhood, so no-one was too put-out by it. What _was_ slightly concerning was that lately, she had taken to doing this in the nude. Whether it was just another facet of contact, or some other desire of the girl, no-one knew for sure.

"Well, this _is_ serious. It's not surprising. How did your report go?"

"Knowing our reputation, I'm sure you can guess."

Nanoha released an exasperated sigh. "Again? Oh, well. How did Vita do at the library?"

"She found Yūno and got his help, but he still may not find anything for a few days."

"Then that means we have to try to come up something on our own for now." When Nanoha looked over at Fate, she saw her fists shaking. It was rare to see the girl upset; it just wasn't in her character, artificial though it might be. _I need to tell her about Scaglietti, but if I do it now, there's no telling how she'll react._

Thankfully, a distraction walked into the room at that moment. "Mama?" Both of the young women turned to the source of the voice.

"Vivio, hi," Fate said, wearing a smile, if a forced one. "What's wrong?"

"I just felt something…wrong." The child's words caused the two to look at her in shock.

_So even Vivio felt it. Is that a good or bad__…__No, it still wouldn't work. Even if she felt the magic, that doesn't mean she can__…Wait, we can still make it work!_ "Fate! Do you think that maybe -"

"It's worth a try. Vivio, what you felt…that was magic. Do you happen to remember where it came from?"

The tiny girl wasn't sure what was going on, but she did know that her 'mama' was asking for help. And after everything they had done to care for her, she wanted to try and return the favor. "I want to help," was all the girl said.

But is was more than enough for Fate, who wrapped her still-trembling arms around her. "Thank you, Vivio," she whispered.

"Should I contact Shario?" Nanoha asked, immediately all-business.

"Tell her to be ready in a few hours." For the first time since the incident, Fate seemed to be in a good mood again. But Nanoha also saw the intention in her eyes. There was determination, yes, but there was also anger…no, in her state, _fury_ would be more appropriate. And though the infamous 'White Devil' would never say it out loud, she pitied whoever would be on the receiving end of the coming storm.

* * *

**BY THE DIVINES, I'M DONE! I'm sure the rest of you are thanking Akatosh just as much as I am for this. Points for getting why Tamriel is #4201. It's really not subtle, but hey, when has Tamriel done things half-ass? To elaborate, time passes at a factor of 1 hour to 1 day, from Midchilda to Tamriel. And as for how Vivio can understand the magic, that is something that, honestly, I kind of pulled out of my ass. So now, with that done****…**


	5. Thick as Thieves, Pt 1

_Thick as Thieves_

* * *

**And now it's back to Skyrim! Sorry it's been so long again. I have a Fate/ crossover in the works, too. And my friend who I said I would refer to for help with this is doing military service, so I've been out of it. But I won't back down.**

**So, after the bureaucracy strikes on Midchilda, it's time to see if Caro can survive Riften. And a big question: given that Caro is NOT the Dragonborn (which explains the question in the title), should I formally introduce the Dragonborn, or have him serve as an offscreen character? Food for thought before we get to the meat and potatoes (Hah, food puns). ****So, without further ado, let's get to it.**

* * *

Even with her magic, it had taken a few days for Caro Ru Lushe to reach Riften, and in that time, she learned a number of general things:

1\. Arngeir had understated the superstitious nature of Skyrim.

2\. It was dangerous to travel at night (it was bad enough during the day, but something about the night unnerved her).

3\. Everybody seemed to hate _everybody else_.

And Riften was turning out to be the embodiment of corruption she had heard it was. She was stopped at the gate yesterday and was nearly forced to pay an entry fee. With a quick story, she was able to forego the fee, though her conscience again tore at her.

But her troubles in Riften were only just beginning.

Prey. That's what she was; she could feel it. Every move she made was being watched. She didn't notice it at first, but the evening she arrived, Friedrich had let out a small warning cry. Not for danger, she knew, but caution. Since then, she had become acutely aware that all eyes were on the young stranger in town.

So, that morning, Caro had left Fried in her room at the inn, while she went down for something to eat. Even with danger closing in around her, Caro kept an ear open for the elusive Thieves' Guild. Though they were less whispers and more open conversations; nobody seemed to care about the Guild, or its operations. _Was that how the Guild operated, with their reputation?_

Or so she thought. Any talks about the Guild quickly devolved into mockery and contempt. She picked up tidbits about how their status had fallen, and how they were just a shadow of their former 'glory.' Some rumors floated around about how they were cursed, like the gods had turned their backs on them. Not that gods would ever favor a group of thieves and robbers, the public reasoned.

But that raised new concerns about something else she had heard.

The 'Daedric Princes,' they were called.

She tried to find any knowledge she could about them, but books were proving hard to find in Riften.

She knew that contact without the proper knowledge wouldn't end well, but it seemed like whatever gods were watching had different plans.

"So, what are your plans for Riften, lass?" a voice asked behind her. Turning around, Caro saw a man in black leathers sitting at the table behind hers.

Trying to stay uninvolved, she said, " I don't know what you mean."

The man chuckled. "You'll forgive me if I don't believe that. You just showed up here yesterday. Around here, you learn to keep your head down; otherwise, people start talking."

"You're with the Thieves' Guild," Caro whispered.

"That I am, lass. I heard you were asking about Daedric Princes at the pawn shop yesterday."

This man didn't give her the impression of a disreputable thief, or some heartless rogue.

"Don't believe everything you hear," he said, grinning, as if she had read her mind. "But aren't you a little young to be asking about the Princes?"

"It was just a question. I've heard about the gods here. Are they any different?"

"Very. I should apologize for just springing onto you like I did. My name is Brynjolf."

"Caro," she introduced herself.

"Now, about the Daedric Princes. They're not too different from the Divines, I suppose, though they do manifest in our plane more often than the gods. They also like to interfere with the 'mortal goings-on,' as they would say.

"My organization happens to be blessed by another Prince, Nocturnal. But, as you've likely heard, we've hit a rough patch."

_That's putting it mildly_, Caro thought. If everything she had heard was true, 'a rough patch' was an understatement.

"Is that sympathy I see?" he asked. "You're a child. Don't feel sorry for us, lass. What we do _is_ criminal. We'll recover. Our group sticks together. And some day, we'll rise again."

"Brynjolf," Caro began, unusually serious, "why?"

"Some of us didn't have a choice. At the end of the day, we may be criminals, but we're a family, regardless of our background."

Caro knew he was speaking truth. And it was that truth, resonating with her own, that caused her to back down. "Is there any way I can help here?"

"You're just a child, lass. With your age, someone might get the idea to report you to the orphanage in town. Or, if you really want to avoid that…you could come with me. To the Guild. And believe me, the Guild is the lesser of evils. With us, you at least get fed."

"It's that bad?" she asked.

"Worse than what you're thinking, likely. I don't want to force you to make up your mind, but with how sudden your arrival is, one of three things will happen: I can take you into the guild, or the guards will either put you in the orphanage, or a prison cell. _Or_, as a last option, you turn around and leave before the day is done. Riften doesn't take kindly to strangers."

The unreasonability of her options was made worse by the fact that she could imagine it. She was quickly realizing that Riften was a town of people who were more-than-willing to sell out even a fellow merchant if it meant a quick coin.

Left with few options, Caro hung her head meekly and said in a whisper, "I'll come with you."

"I'm sorry for pressuring you," Brynjolf said. "But that makes me curious. What is a child such as yourself doing in Riften?"

_To put a stop to the Thieves' Guild_, Caro thought. _But I can't very well say that. But what he said about the orphanage__…_

"I don't quite know," she answered. And what bothered her was that she didn't know what the truth was anymore. "But I still have things to do."

"I understand, lass. We should get going, then. I'll take you to our base."

As they were heading out the door, the woman at the counter growled out, "Corrupting children now too, Brynjolf?"

"Keerava, you just do your business, and keep your head down," he replied, just as abrasive. "Lass lost her parents; you want her going to the orphanage? You know what Grelod would do to her." The woman, Keerava, said no more, merely pursing her lips in disapproval.

The two made it out the door, but didn't make it any further.

"Which one of you is touched by the dragon?" a man asked the two. His voice was muffled, due to the mask over his face. Both he and the person next to him wore long brown cloaks, long enough to sweep the ground. "Is it you, girl?"

"What's going on?" Brynjolf asked. "Are they after you, lass? And what do they mean by 'dragon?'"

"We don't have to answer any questions, least of all from an ignorant fool. You can die as well!"

Caro didn't know what was happening, but she wasn't about to let the people in front of her harm anybody. "Kerykeion," she said.

"Yes, master," the Device responded.

"Who do you work for?" Caro asked the two with a no-nonsense tone. "If you refuse to cooperate, I'll have to bring you in."

"I'll offer you as a sacrifice to Lord Miraak!" the man shouted rushing forward, a mace in his right hand.

"_Boost Up: Acceleration_," Caro murmured. Before the man could react, Caro had already moved behind him. "_Boost Up: Strike Power_." Caro chopped at his wrist, disarming him. Two punches to the man's torso brought him to his knees, wheezing for air.

"You little _bitch_!" the second person, a woman, screamed. "I'll burn you to ash!" The woman raised her hands, and Caro could feel the magic gathering.

"_Protection_!" A barrier erupted from Caro's hand, stopping the fire. "_Wing Shooter_." A small pink ball of light flew from her hand and hit the woman square in the head, shattering her mask and knocking her down. "_Alchemic Chain._" From a magic circle around her feet, chains appeared and bound her two attackers.

"What the hell is going on here?!" a guard yelled, running up. "And who are they? Friends of yours, Brynjolf?"

"Not this time. This young lass and I had just left The Bee and Barb when these maniacs attacked us. Something about being 'touched by the dragon."

"Seems all of Skyrim's going to the dogs. Forsworn in the west, vampires burned down the Hall of the Vigilant, and now, more dragon talk. Well, I guess it's good no one was hurt. We'll haul these two away for execution."

Wait!" Caro spoke up. "I want to talk to them, to see if I can learn anything."

"What would a child know about interrogation?"

"The man mentioned a 'Miraak.' Maybe they were sent by a superior to gather information."

She could feel the guard staring at her through his helmet. "Then _we'll_ ask the questions. You can wait outside for us."

Before Caro agree, the woman spoke up. "North. Head north, past the college. But you won't live to get that far!"

And then she felt it; they _all_ felt it: a massive pool of magic, gathering in the woman's body. "_Wheel __Protection_!" Caro shouted, the barrier appearing less than a second before the explosion. Once the heat had dissipated, all that was left of the two was a blackened crater and fragments of the woman's mask.

"Damn. A suicide," the guard cursed. "Now how am I going to explain this to the Jarl? And how are you so skilled at magick?"

"I think we should just be grateful the lass was as quick as she was. Would you mind coming with me for a second?"

"I need to grab something from my room first," Caro said, heading back indoors. Inside, she hid Fried back inside her cloak, and quickly rejoined Brynjolf. "Now I'm ready."

* * *

Caro was, admittedly, less-than-impressed with the idea of walking through the sewers, as Brynjolf guided her. "So, lass, while we have this time to ourselves, care to explain what you know?" he asked, sitting at an abandoned table. "If you had gone to maybe Whiterun or Solitude, you'd have gotten better treatment. But I hear that Falkreath is turning into a mess. Not like it wasn't already, but…"

"What's wrong?"

"What _isn't_ wrong? Falkreath is the site of the largest mass graveyard in Skyrim, _and_ it's the home of the Dark brotherhood. And now there's rumors of a werewolf killing folks around there. I'd bet you're starting to regret coming to Skyrim now, eh, lass?"

_I don't even _want_ to be here!_ she nearly screamed out loud. But she still had an overarching mission: to find the cruiser that was likely pulled here with her. The key question: where in Skyrim was it?

After a few breaths to sort out her thoughts, Caro answered his first question. "I've never seen those people in masks. The magic I used is from my home. I'm not actually from Tamriel at all." With that answer that ultimately didn't answer Brynjolf's questions, Caro recited her (by-now familiar) tale of how she ended up in Skyrim. Thankfully, he didn't ask about Kerykeion. Her magic? Fine. Even Friedrich could (maybe) be explained to someone willing to listen. But a pair of talking, glowing gloves? Even Caro understood that the human mind could only comprehend so much.

"So, you're exploring Skyrim starting from the east, which started here, in Riften. I'm sorry you're having to see the worst of it first. I know the reason you said you would come with me was only because your other options were shit."

"No, please. Between the orphanage and here, I think I'll take my chances." Honestly, neither option appealed to her, but she had to adapt to this new world. A small part of her was concerned that maybe she was adapting a little too well. She _was_ following a member of the Thieves' Guild into their hideout. Which, as a certified military officer, would be, to put it mildly, illogical. "What's the rest of the Guild like?"

"Characters, all. Though if you could guess, we don't all have happy stories. If I said any more, I'd be betraying our code. We don't ask about each others' lives before this. Some of us were raised into this, others had nowhere else to go."

"A code?" she spoke up. Everything she had heard about the Thieves' Guild suggested otherwise.

Brynjolf chuckled at her silent comment. "Ah, it does seem that way. The one thing I can guarantee is false is that we'll stab each other in the back for a septim, sometimes literally. We're a family down here, even if we don't always show it.

"The Guild works on a 'first come, first served' basis; whoever takes a job is the one who has to succeed. If they fail, they either try again, or pass it to someone else. But we do have one more code," he continued seriously. "We do not kill. In our line of work, it's just bad business, you see."

This alleviated some fears that Caro had, but the base of her predicament remained. Hoping to get more answers, she asked, "The woman back in the street," she began, the memory of her self-incineration still fresh in her mind, "what 'college' did she mean?"

"That'd be the College of Winterhold. Strange group, always practicing their magick and whatever else they scheme about up in their tower. We even have a contact in the College, a fencer, goes by Enthir." _Is everyone in Skyrim a criminal of some kind?_ Brynjolf laughed again. "You don't need to be so guarded, lass. I can tell you're more well-off than most of us here. Why you'd want to travel Skyrim in the middle of this civil war, though, _that_ I can't wrap my head around."

"A civil war?" She remembered the bartender she talked to mentioning something like that.

"Right now, Skyrim has two major factions fighting for control," he explained, drawing a line in the dust on the table to illustrate. "On one hand, you have the Imperial legion, and they're on shaky ground. The 'peace treaty' they signed with the Aldmeri Dominion, the White-Gold Concordat, has put all of Skyrim on edge. It abolished one of the key facets of Skyrim religion: the worship of Talos as a Divine.

"At your age, I doubt you know what the Aldmeri Dominion is." Caro shook her head, confirming this. "It's the empire formed by the Altmer, or high elves in common tongue. They've been adding to their territory lately, for the sake of 'uniting Tamriel,' they say. Their latest battle pushed the Imperials into a ceasefire.

"As for the other faction, there're the Stormcloaks. They took offense to the banning of Talos worship, and rose up to resist the Dominion, and by extension, the Imperials. They also believe that Skyrim is Nordic country, and that it should ruled by Nords, _for_ Nords. If you're not a Nord, you're lucky if all you receive is a glare. The Dunmer and Argonians have it the worst in that regard. The tension keeps brewing like it is, we'll be at war in a matter of months. Well, shall we talk about less unpleasant things? Come on, I'll introduce you to the Guild. Not that you'll actually do anything; consider this more of a hideout."

"I appreciate the help, Byrnjolf." And Caro meant it. For now, at least, it seemed she had found a port in the storm, however rickety its boards were. Standing up, she followed Brynjolf through the door leading down.

* * *

**I'd say I'm sick of writing this, but that would be a lie. I love writing, and I love all of you for staying with me. Just...life's getting hard. Almost 4 years, and I'm no better off now than when I graduated high school. Plus, an obscene number of my past projects have seen fit to rear their heads. And because I have internet only on weekends, plus my _Elsword_ gaming, _Date A Live_ game(s), my anime backlog...I'm beginning to wonder if publishing here and creating a reader base was a good idea.**

**Sorry about dumping. I'd been meaning to introduce the Guild in this chapter, but the words dried up after Brynjolf's explanation of Skyrim. I also made a mistake in the first draft and said Dibella was a Daedric Prince, not a Divine. Yes, I fixed it. I'll get started on the next chapter soon, which continues this side of the story. Bye for now!**


End file.
